


Give It a Listen

by corgasbord



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-11 04:51:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10455408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corgasbord/pseuds/corgasbord
Summary: For Kaede, playing the piano has always been a fulfilling pastime in and of itself, but even more so when someone is present to listen.





	

**Author's Note:**

> i felt like i needed to write something for kaede's birthday, because i love her and she's ALMOST my birthday twin, and this is as good an opportunity as any to make up for the lack of femslash i've been producing lately. just so you all know, i still love kaemaki and you can pry it from my tiny gay hands when i'm dead
> 
> (here's the [tumblr](http://corgiboard.tumblr.com/post/158864500355/give-it-a-listen) link, as usual)

For as long as Kaede can remember, practicing her passion every afternoon after school has been her routine. The baby grand piano has remained with her for years like an old friend, unchanging, standing patiently in the living room to await her scheduled return.

The first time she brings her girlfriend home, it strikes Kaede as only natural that introductions should take place.

Maki barely gets an opportunity to slip her shoes off at the front door before Kaede takes her hand and excitedly pulls her in the direction of the living room. They both know that she could very well wrench herself out of Kaede’s grip if she wanted to, but she doesn’t, instead puffing out a sigh of irritated resignation. “What gives?”

“I wanted to show you my piano!” Kaede replies cheerfully, coming to a stop in front of the massive instrument. Seeing the way the sunlight filters through the windows and makes the polished ebony surface gleam never fails to bring a smile to her face. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Sure,” Maki says flatly, looking as disinterested as ever. “Was that all?”

“No,” Kaede huffs, pouting at Maki’s attitude. “I’ve never played for you before, so I was gonna play something for you, too! Jeez, can’t you be at least a _little_ excited about that?”

“Hm.” Maki turns away slightly, tapping a finger thoughtfully against her chin as though considering it.

Kaede practically whines, “ _Harumaki_ ,” and she thinks she catches a ghost of a smile on Maki’s lips before the dark-haired girl looks back at her with the same neutral, unreadable mask as always.

“Okay. If you want to play me something, then do it.”

She doesn’t look especially enthused, Kaede notes; but then, she rarely does. That’s fine, though. As far as Kaede is concerned, that’s all the more reason to make an impression on her with the universally understood language of music.

Brightening again at that prospect, Kaede takes a seat at one end of the bench, then expectantly pats the space next to her. Maki eyes her for several long moments before conceding with another heavy sigh, settling in the offered spot with her arms crossed. In spite of her posture, though, she doesn’t seem genuinely annoyed.

This doesn’t come as a surprise to Kaede. If there’s one thing she’s learned over the past few months that they’ve been dating, it’s that Maki is never _really_ as annoyed with her as she pretends to be.

“Do you have any requests?” Kaede asks. “Most of the pieces I've memorized are by Chopin or Debussy, but I also know some Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, and-”

Maki cuts her off dryly. “Kaede, I don’t know who any of those people are.”

“What?” Kaede exclaims, almost offended. “But I’ve had you listen to some classical pieces on my phone before, haven’t I?”

“You have. I just don’t recognize any of the names you listed,” Maki says, looking down at her lap with a frown. “Why don’t you just pick something? Your taste can’t be any worse than mine.”

“Oh. Well, all right.” Even if Kaede had sort of hoped Maki would have more specific tastes to cater to, she supposes that works.

She finally shifts her attention back to the piano, that familiar itch already spreading through her fingers as she lifts the cover. She doesn’t have to think, doesn’t even have to have a particular song in mind, for her hands to align with the keys of their own volition. The smooth ivory is cool to the touch, familiar and relaxing, and she lets the anticipation mount in the air for a moment before she finally begins to play.

Quiet music fills the room, and her eyes close to simply focus on the way it sounds. She doesn't need to see the piano to touch it in all of the right places, drawing out a melody with a precision exclusive to those who have mastered it. It would be an understatement to say that playing the piano is like second nature to her - at this point, the instrument might as well be an extension of herself.

In fact, she's so absorbed in one of Chopin’s Nocturnes that she almost forgets that Maki is there, until she feels a weight against her side. Mildly startled, Kaede peeks over to see that Maki is leaning on her a bit, calmly observing her performance.

_Cute_ , she thinks, unable to help the smile that spreads across her face at that. Still, her fingers don't falter, gliding up and down the octaves until one piece fades into another and she loses track of how long they've been sitting there with nothing but Chopin to make up for the silence.

The next time she glances over at Maki, the shorter girl’s eyes are closed, the tension smoothed from her features and her cheek pressed into Kaede’s shoulder. Kaede’s first thought is that her girlfriend must have fallen asleep, and a little frown of consternation tugs at her lips. _I hadn't thought she was_ that _tired_.

She brings her song to a halt in favor of trying to gently wake Maki up. Naturally, the best way she can think to do that is by kissing her, craning her neck in an awkward, half-successful attempt to scatter soft pecks over Maki’s face.

Maki straightens and pulls away from her within seconds, cheeks pink and eyes narrowed dangerously. “What are you doing?”

“Oh.” Kaede blinks in surprise, then lets out a nervous laugh. “Um, I thought you were asleep, so I was just trying to wake you up.”

“What the fuck,” Maki says - it's a statement, not a question. “I wasn't sleeping. And that's a creepy way to wake someone up, anyway.”

“I wouldn't go _that_ far,” Kaede protests weakly, before deciding to drop it. “But... sorry.”

Maki sighs, her expression softening ever so slightly. “Oh, don't get that kicked puppy look.” Then she scoots closer to press their shoulders together again in a wordless gesture of forgiveness.

Relieved, Kaede assumes that it's safe to address the topic of piano again. “So… are you tired of hearing me play? We can do something else, if you want. I just wanted to know what you think.”

Maki glances away again, still faintly flushed. “It's… nice, I guess. You can keep going if you want.”

“Really?” Kaede’s face lights up, giddy at her girlfriend’s approval. “Then, in that case…” She brings her hands back to the keys to spin out another tune, this one less melancholy than those that preceded it.

She gets interrupted a few bars in, however, by the fleeting feeling of Maki’s lips on her cheek.

Stunned, Kaede pauses and turns her head to gawk at Maki, but Maki is quick to push her reddening face into Kaede’s shoulder and mumble, “Don't ruin it, just keep playing.”

So, deciding it best not to respond, Kaede obliges, starting to grin in spite of the warmth rising to her own cheeks. It's always nice to be validated, but there's no better compliment than the unspoken kind, the feeling of Maki’s breathing evening out in spite of her evident embarrassment. Seeing the girl she loves so content, as rare as that is, is a reward sweeter than the music itself.

**Author's Note:**

> i would just like to say that i think the nickname "harumaki" is really cute?? please let me pretend that kaede would call her that


End file.
